Ask The Best And Brightest: What Are The Most Important Car-Related Political Issues?
As I noted yesterday, the intersection of automobiles and politics is a difficult area of analysis. In the United States, where motorists don’t face the daily challenges they do in Russia, discussions of politics in an automotive forum too often gets overwhelmed by larger political battles. Before you know it, a conversation about the future of electric cars can turn into a debate on military and foreign policy, and an auto-industry bailout can be justified by virtue of its small size relative to the bank bailout. In short, everything happens within a context, and politics is all about context. TTAC has always waded into political issues based on their relevance to cars, motorists, consumers and the industry, and we’ve held some fascinating explorations of political topics ranging from red-light and speed cameras and foreign oil dependence to anthropogenic climate change, bailouts and pay-per-mile tax schemes. In the interest of providing the right balance of big-picture and street-level issues in our coverage, we’re curious: what car-related political issues fascinate, concern or perplex you most?
More by Edward Niedermeyer
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MORE TAX ON GAS USAGE!??? More!? I can't believe what I am reading above. It’s as if PAYING for your gas wasn't enough! IF you want to use more, you must be taxed! As if giving the government more money as a form of punishment is rational. I know, let's add more tax to everything people want to use more of than their (fair) share. like... Coffee. Beef. Booze. What about a tax on to much sex! You know the cost of medical insurance can be linked to STD. What's a fair share? Who the hell knows...I guess it would be decided by those that use LESS then others. They would be the Holy and Wise. Anything paid for by its listed price isn't enough; I guess...we gotta tax any extra purchases. We gotta add another value to it. And make over indulgence a sin. A taxable sin! Ya, that's it!!! Tax sins! We gotta make people pay for their sins! Tax Tax Tax Tax Tax Tax Tax Tax Tax. Hey, this tax shit is getting easy
Don't you "pay per mile" now when you pay for your gas? I must be missing something here. When the demand forces up the cost, doesn't paying more make a useage punishment? Isn't that in itself the tax for use? So what's with the bashing of those who drive, not only a lot...but BIG SUV monsters? They pay their punishment in the extra cost for fuel. I am completely exhausted trying to explain the madness of arbitrary added value. Take the toll roads. If you pay your tolls, but use the tollway more than others, are you suddenly going to pay a higher toll? You over used the tollroad, so your tolls will be higher. You paid for your gas, but you filled up more often so you will pay more per gallon...? Isn't that the same irrational thinking?
Meanwhile, ALGore flies around in his private jet and laughs at all the idiots who believe in glowball warming.